Energy City Development Company (ECDC), the owner and developer of King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), and Integrated Dawiyat (Dawiyat) — wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Electricity Company — agreed to sign Heads of Terms for Dawiyat, in presence of King Salman Energy Park's Chairman Dr. Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani to develop SPARK's telecommunication infrastructure and associated smart services. SPARK and Dawiyat will work together to deploy the fourth industrial revolution environment within SPARK by implementing advanced communication solutions to meet the industrial needs of the tenants. The state-of-the-art digital infrastructure will enable the interaction of people and objects and exchange of data. Additionally, it will allow tenants to benefit from tailor-made industrial services and solutions, leading to increased productivity and efficiency. The main strategic goals for this partnership include achieving operational excellence and elevating the quality of services provided to all SPARK tenants; and improving the economic enablers to support the growth of business. In addition, it aims to raise the attractiveness of the labor market, ensure the sustainability of the vital resources, and enhance the working and living standards within the city. SPARK is an energy city mega-project located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with total area of 50 km2. When operational, it will unite approximately 300 industrial, technology and services facilities, strengthening Saudi Arabia's position as a leading global energy, industrial and technology hub. SPARK is being developed to capture the full economic value from an increasing local and regional demand for energy-related goods and services. SPARK's aim of enabling localization within the Kingdom's energy supply chain aligns with the strategic goals of Saudi Aramco's In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) program which is designed to drive supply-chain efficiency and value across the operations, and to foster the growth of a diverse, sustainable, and globally competitive energy sector in the Kingdom. Commenting on the agreement, SPARK's President & CEO Saif Al-Qahtani, said: "The strategic partnership between SPARK and Dawiyat will help create an advanced 21st century business environment for the energy sector key players. SPARK will become a thriving international industrial community built on excellence and innovation to meet the needs of the future." Dawiyat CEO Dr. Ahmed Sindi commented: "As the only neutral wholesale infrastructure service provider in Saudi Arabia, we are proud of our strategic partnership with SPARK. Our advanced capabilities in the new generation fiber technology, with a network of over 80,000 km of underground and overhead fiber laid across the Kingdom, as well as our expert local and international team, will help reduce costs, ensure new connectivity options, and provide a reliable ICT infrastructure." The telecommunication infrastructure to be built in SPARK will have Dawiyat responsible for the operation and commercialization, as well as installing futuristic smart services within SPARK. Dawiyat offers international standard telecommunication infrastructure and smart solutions including the building, development, operation, maintenance and commercialization of reliable fiber optic networks, telecom towers and smart city capabilities to drive economic growth. As the Kingdom is witnessing a huge shift in technology to build a smart nation backed by a vibrant digital economy that can meet the changing needs of its citizens and companies, Vision 2030 also aims to build a vibrant society, a prosperous economy, and an ambitious nation, which is represented in the main strategic goals of this partnership. — SG
